PM SECRETARY SIDDIQUI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 003680 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/PB, INR E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/20/2016 TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM BG SUBJECT: PM SECRETARY SIDDIQUI DISCUSSES ELECTIONS WITH AMBASSADOR Classified By: Ambassador Patricia Butenis; reason 1.4(d) ¶1. (C) Ambassador Butenis discussed the upcoming elections with Dr. Kamal Siddiqui, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, during a brief June 18 courtesy call. Dr. Siddiqui welcomed the attention of the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia as the "four key partners". He said these partners must "blow the whistle" on any practices they felt undermined a credible election. He encouraged the use of international observers (except observers from India or Pakistan). He suggested the four partners should be present at the Election Commission office on Election Day, saying their presence would be a powerful deterrent against election manipulation. He also expressed concern about media reporting, saying that in past elections, the press has reported results at odds with the results reported to the commission. ¶2. (C) Siddiqui predicts a close election. While the winner may have a bare majority, he thinks it is more likely that the next government will require a coalition. ¶3. (C) On the status of Chief Election Commissioner Justice Aziz, Dr. Siddiqui maintained it was not necessary for him to resign. Any replacement would be equally controversial, he argued, and intense press scrutiny of the CEC's actions is a sufficient check against improper actions by the CEC or the Commission. As for retired Chief Justice K.M. Hasan, slated to head the caretaker government, Siddiqui expressed confidence that Hasan would be non-partisan and would uphold the integrity of the position. ¶4. (C) Already well past the mandatory government retirement age, Siddiqui said he will retire at the end of the current government. Although eligible as a professional civil servant to continue into the caretaker government, he said doing so would hand the Awami League led opposition another election issue, given his close association with the Prime Minister during the past five years. Even remaining in the country, he feared, would spawn rumors and conspiracy theories claiming behind-the-scenes manipulation. He therefore plans to retire and travel outside the country until a new government comes to power. ¶5. (C) Comment: Siddiqui's suggestion that key international partners be present at the Election Commission on Election Day is intriguing but not without its downside. While observers may have the desired salutary effect, they risk being hijacked by the winning party eager to spin their presence as an endorsement of the result. Moreover, even public discussion of the idea is apt to trigger BNP's reflexive objection to "international interference in our domestic affairs." Nonetheless, the fact that Siddiqui floated the idea is itself a reflection of the distrust in both parties of the impartiality of domestic institutions and observers. End comment. BUTENIS